Collapse

4.9 (326)
DOCUMENTARY
COMPLETE SERIES

On February 22, 2011, a devastating earthquake shook Christchurch, killing 185 people. One hundred and fifteen of those people were in the CTV building. The building should never have been built.

EPISODE 1

1: The mountain and the cave

Topi Emery and Marion Hilbers were among the 149 people in the CTV building when it collapsed. Their families kept vigil at the site for hours, hoping for a miracle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

43 min
EPISODE 2

2: Call me Louis

Rescuers tunnel into the rubble and find what was left of a school cafeteria with 22 students trapped – dead and alive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

48 min
EPISODE 3

3: Need help, need help

Senior Constable Stuart Martindale gets a tap on the shoulder and is handed a phone number. A trapped survivor is calling from underneath the rubble. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

58 min
EPISODE 4

4: Boom and bust

The CTV building was born in the 1980s construction boom. It had profound design flaws that were flagged at the time. How did it even get built? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

52 min
EPISODE 5

5: Vagabond

The CTV story descends into controversy and farce: a fake engineer and New Zealand’s biggest homicide investigation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

54 min
EPISODE 6

6: Tragedy, travesty

Police announce the results of their investigation. Will anyone be held accountable over 115 deaths? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1h 5m
09/02/2021

Trailer: Collapse

Collapse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3 min

TRAILER

Trailer: Collapse

Collapse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

09/02/2021

•

3 min

Margaret Gordon

Host
Michael Wright

Host

4.9

out of 5

326 Ratings

Thought provoking and emotional.

11/08/2025

RolyNZ

Thought provoking retelling of events surrounding one of NZ’s worst days. As a building professional the story reminds us of why we need to be so thorough in the design process.
Fantastic serious well presented

18/08/2022

Bbaddiley

Very interesting hearing more of the detail around this tragedy and it’s causes.
Thorough investigative journalism

29/06/2022

KiwiPoliticsFan

Great podcast that dives deep in the details of the CTV tragedy. As an engineer in Christchurch who was studying at uni during the earthquakes I had heard a bit about CTV but not the details. Really shocking that justice was not able to be brought to the families and how there were so many opportunities to prevent this failure
Great series

11/03/2022

hefter2020

Collapse is an eye-opening expose into the CTV building. Fantastic journalism. Well worth a listen.

On February 22, 2011, a devastating earthquake shook Christchurch, killing 185 people. One hundred and fifteen of those people were in the CTV building. The building should never have been built.